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1
P R A C T I C E N O T E
Using Local Stock for Planting NativeTrees and Shrubs
231 Corstorphine RoadEdinburghEH12 7AT
http://www.forestry.gov.uk
INTRODUCTION
1. This Note describes a system intended to facilitate the
identification of, and trade in, locally sourced stock
for the planting of native species of trees and shrubs in
Britain. The Forestry Commission has developed this
initiative in response to demand from a range of
interests, including many growers, for technical
market support for the collection, sourcing and
growing of local stock (seeds or cuttings) for our
native species. This is the first attempt to produce
guidance on the production and use of local stock for
native species throughout Britain. It has been
developed after extensive consultation with all the
main stakeholders.
2. The system comprises a map of local seed zones(Figure 1), and guidance on its use. It also includes, at
the request of the forest nursery trade, a voluntary
scheme to allow seeds and plants to be identified and
monitored in a consistent way.
3. The Forestry Commission recognises that scientific
understanding of the origin (see box below) of native
species is still very limited. The aim has been to
provide a system for the use of woodland owners and
FCPN8
B Y R O G E R H E R B E R T , S A M S A M U E L & G O R D O N P A T T E R S O N A U G U S T 1 9 9 9
Provenance and origin
Forestry has exploited population differences effectively
over many years by paying attention to the provenance
and origin of reproductive material (seed, plants, parts of
plants). The term provenance is used to describe the
location of the stand from which the reproductive
material was collected. In practice, the origin of the
material is more important since this term is used to
describe that part of the natural range from which the
material originally derived. However the origin of
planted stands is often not known. In such cases local
provenance is normally considered sufficient on the
assumption that collections are made from stands which
appear well adapted.
others who are interested in planting native species in
woodlands. The system advanced here is intended to
help the workings of the existing market in locally
sourced planting stock but it does not change current
grant scheme requirements for the use of this type of
stock. The system however is complementary to the
statutory controls in the Forest Reproductive Material
Regulations 1977 which cover the marketing of
certain tree species including five of our native forest
tree species. We will need to try out the system, see
how well it works, and revise it in the light of research
and experience over the next few years.
SEMI-NATURAL WOODLANDS& NEW NATIVE WOODLANDS
4. The UK forestry standard (Forestry Commission,
1998) sets out the following national aims for semi-
natural woodlands:
• to maintain and restore natural ecological diversity;
• to maintain and improve their aesthetic value;
• to maintain genetic integrity of populations of native
species, so far as is practicable;
• to take opportunities to produce utilisable wood;
• to enlarge the woods where possible by creating new
woodlands.
The UK forestry standard and the associated Forestry
Practice Guides The management of semi-naturalwoodlands 1–8 recommend using plants of local
provenance, preferably from semi-natural parent trees,
where planting is to be undertaken in semi-natural
woodlands or where native woodlands are to be
created by planting. The UK Woodland Assurance
Scheme also seeks the use of seed of local origin for
restocking and planting semi-natural woodlands
where this is available and considered appropriate.
The system described in the Note will help woodland
owners in making choices of planting material in these
circumstances.
Trees of most native species in ancient semi-natural woodlands arelikely to be of local origin, although oak and beech have been widelyplanted during the past two centuries.
2
Native Scots pineseedlings of localorigin have beenused for plantingover 20 000 ha ofnew nativepinewoods since1989 in theScottish Highlands.
THE MAP OF LOCAL SEEDZONES FOR NATIVE SPECIES
Regions of Provenance
5. The framework for the new zonation is provided by
the existing Regions of Provenance defined in the
Forest Reproductive Material Regulations 1977. The
Regulations cover a range of forest trees including
some native species – Scots pine, beech, sessile oak,
pedunculate oak and the genus Populus.
6. The Regulations, which were introduced in 1977,
apply to the marketing of reproductive material of
certain species commonly used for timber production.
They are based on the concept of identifying regions
of climatic similarity which can be ascribed to
planting stock as an aid to sourcing suitable plant
material. These are referred to as Regions of
Provenance.
7. There are four broad Regions of Provenance. These
divide the country into eastern and western zones
within northern and southern divisions, and are
identified as Regions 10, 20, 30 and 40, delineated by
bolder lines in Figure 1.
8. The Regulations apply only to the marketing of
reproductive material; where planters collect and raise
planting material for their own use without
marketing, the statutory controls do not apply.
How the map of new local seed zones fornative species was created
9. The seed zones are a non-statutory sub-division of the
statutory Regions of Provenance. These regions have
been sub-divided to produce the local seed zones
(Figure 1) using information about climatic and
geological variation. Elevation should be considered
as an additional factor using two levels - above and
below 300 metres - because of the importance of
elevation in influencing local climatic conditions. The
seed zone number may be used to identify collections
of seeds or cuttings made under the statutory
Regulations or the voluntary identification system
described in paragraphs 19–27. Explanation of the
seed zones is given in the box opposite.
Which species are native to a particularzone?
10. This initiative is relevant to all tree and woody shrub
species considered native to Britain. The more
common species are listed in Table 1, together with an
indication of the seed zones in which they are thought
to be locally native, i.e. they occur in the zone in
populations which have developed naturally (not
planted). We believe that this represents the
approximate natural distribution of the species over
recent centuries, although it is accepted that in some
cases this may have been different in the more distant
past. Also, in some cases the natural distribution of a
species occupies only part of a zone. Guidance on the
main soil types on which the species occur is also
given in Table 1.
3
How the seed zones were devised
The seed zones are based on major geoclimatic
influences and take account of geological and landform
boundaries; major watersheds have been used as zone
boundaries in several cases. In Scotland, the major
geological fault lines are used and the outlying islands
are separated. Further divisions are then often based on
watersheds.
The application of these principles in Region 10 leads to
the separation of the inner and outer islands from four
mainland areas separated by geological faults. Two of
these, the north-west Highlands and the southern
Uplands are further divided because of their size, using a
watershed (between zones 102 and 105) and the course
of the River Nith (between zones 108 and 109)
respectively.
In Region 20, the geological fault lines form the basis of
the zonation, and the major watershed separating the
Spey from the Don/Dee catchments is used to divide the
north-east Highlands for this (between zones 201 and
202).
Region 30 comprises north-west England (including
the Pennines), most of Wales and the peninsula of
south-west England. The River Lune combined with the
M6 motorway, in the absence of any other strong
feature, is used to separate the Lake District from the
Pennines. Watersheds are used to divide Wales, the main
watershed of the Cambrian mountains being used to
separate west and east Wales. South-west England
remains as a single zone.
This approach was more difficult to follow in attempting
a zonation of the lowlands of England (Region 40)
where the climatic gradients are more gradual. For want
of a clearer geographic basis, the region is therefore sub-
divided to reflect broad patterns of the natural
distribution of native species, as depicted by Soutar and
Peterken in Forest nature conservation guidelines (Forestry
Commission, 1990). One large area covering most of
the Midlands from the Welsh border to the East Anglian
coast is subdivided into eastern and western zones.
Local variation of the seed zone
12. Sometimes a local interpretation or different seed zone
boundary may need to be used, based on particular
knowledge of a species, e.g.
• where a particular species may have a localised
distribution within a seed zone comprising a number
of distinct populations;
• where knowledge of distinct genetic differentiation
suggests an alternative zonation such as the scheme
already in use for Scots pine.
Using the seed zones map to choose theright seed source
13. In trying to match seed source to planting site, the first
task is to locate the seed zone and elevation band in
which the planting site falls, then to identify the
potential seed sources within the same seed zone and
elevation band and to select material from these for
planting.
14. Problems of interpretation could arise if no matching
planting material is available or if the planting site lies
close to a seed zone boundary or the elevation
threshold. These will be considered separately.
No planting material is available from the same seed
zone and/or the same elevation band
15. Try to find appropriate sources in adjacent seed
zones/elevation bands using the following guidelines:
• alternative material from the same elevation band
should be used;
• material from zones adjacent to that of the planting
site should be sought in preference to more distant
zones;
• material from adjacent or close areas within the same
Region of Provenance should be used in preference
to that from an adjacent Region of Provenance.
The planting site lies close to a boundary between two
seed zones or the 300 metres elevation threshold
16. The use of planting material from the adjacent seed
zone or elevation band should be used, provided the
following are met:
11. In semi-natural and new native woodlands only
locally native species should normally be planted.
However, there may be other places where a
woodland owner may wish to plant native species for
amenity, timber production or wildlife conservation
objectives; examples are beech and Scots pine.
e.g. 1998 is 98. The year runs from 1 August to the
following 31 July. The seed zone number appears in
the bracket part of the identity.
Examples:
AH 98(403)
Ash collected in the 1998 crop year in zone 403
Hawthorn 99(304)
Hawthorn from zone 304 collected in 1999
Betula pendula 01(201)
Silver birch collected in zone 201 in 2001
Controlling seed collections and theproduction of plants not covered by theForest Reproductive Material Regulations
20. Material marketed in these circumstances can be
identified by means of a Certificate of Local
Provenance. If collectors and suppliers wish to use the
voluntary system they should follow the procedures set
out below which mirror the controls currently used
under The Forest Reproductive Material Regulations.
21. Before work is due to begin the collector must give the
local Forestry Commission (FC) Conservancy Office
advance notice of intention to collect seed. Guidance
on making seed collections is given in on page 5.
22. The following information must be provided:
• name, address and telephone number of the collector;
• the location where the seed collection will take place;
• the proposed date the collection will commence and
the approximate date of completion.
The collector should keep the FC fully informed about
any changes in the timing or the location of the
collection.
23. The FC will send the collector a blank form FRP4 and
may arrange an inspection to ensure that the collection
is made within the correct area.
24. Once the collection is finished the collector should fill
in the FRP4 stating location, elevation, when the
collection was made and the amount of seed collected,
and return it to the FC.
4
• both the planting site and the location of the basic
material lie within 35 kilometres of the zone
boundary; or,
• both the planting site and the location of the basic
material lie within 50 metres of the elevation
threshold, i.e. within the range 250–350 metres;
• the boundary on the map to which the planting site is
close is not between two Regions of Provenance.
Clearly, in specific instances in which both seed zone
and elevation boundary are implicated, both the first
two of these criteria should be met.
17. There may be some cases, e.g. important semi-natural
woodlands, where it will be preferable to delay planting
until local stock is available rather than to use sources
outside the same seed zone. Alternatively, greater
efforts could be made to use natural regeneration.
Special zones for Scots pine
18. Remnant Scots pine populations within the area of
Scotland to which the species remains indigenous have
been the subject of biochemical analysis of resin
terpenes. The zonation devised as a result of terpene
analysis is different from that proposed here for other
species and it is a requirement for native pine planting
under the rules of the Woodland Grant Scheme. As
more detailed knowledge of local variation or
adaptation is accrued, it may be relevant to consider
other species in this way.
THE VOLUNTARYIDENTIF ICATION SYSTEM
Identifying seedlots
19. There are clear advantages to collectors, producers and
planters in the wide adoption of a consistent form of
identity. The established means of recording for a
seedlot commonly used in Britain is:
Species Crop year(Seed zone/Region of Provenance/
Seed stand number)
The species may be the common name, Latin name or
a recognised abbreviation such as SP, POK or BI. The
crop year is presented as the last two digits of the year,
5
MAKING SEED COLLECTIONS
• Characteristics which indicate that the seed source is
likely to be of local origin include such factors as
evidence of coppicing, absence of organised planting
patterns, a wide age-class distribution and old records or
maps. Areas recognised as ancient semi-natural woodland
are most likely to contain populations of local origin.
• In collecting seed, the aim should always be to choose a
defined population, i.e. an identifiable group or
assembly, of interbreeding individuals of the species in
question. Isolated trees or pooled collections of seed
from a range of these should be avoided. Clearly there
will be acceptable reasons for exceptions to this in
specific circumstances.
• There should be no selection for particular characteristics
if there is a choice of parent trees available. Trees should
be sampled to reflect the range of growth and
morphological characteristics visible in the population.
• Parent trees from which seed is collected should, if
possible, be isolated from the immediate influence of
non-native material of the same species as a potential
pollen source.
• If possible, collection should be made from at least
20–30 individuals. Care should be taken to collect fairly
equal quantities from each of these rather than to create
an imbalance in their contribution to the collection by
favouring individuals with a particularly abundant and
accessible seed crop. As a general principle, small
quantities should be picked from many individuals in
preference to larger quantities from a few trees.
• In natural stands, it is also important to collect seed from
well-separated trees because, under natural
regeneration, close trees are more likely to be the
progeny of the same seed parent and thus too closely
related. Collectors should try to achieve a minimum of
50 metres separation between parent trees.
• Following extraction and clearing the seedlot should be
thoroughly mixed to ensure that seed of individual
component parents are combined. This is especially
important where a seedlot is divided up for use by
several growers.Acorn collection in the New Forest. Seed collectionsshould be made from at least 20–30 trees, taking similaramounts from each.
25. If they are content that the correct procedures have
been followed the FC local office will endorse the
FRP4 and forward it to FC HQ from where a
Certificate of Local Provenance will be issued. If the
standard procedures are not followed it may not be
possible to issue the Certificate.
26. When a supplier provides seed (or seedlings grown on
from it) customers must be issued with a supplier’s
certificate containing information about the collection,
including the number of the Certificate of Local
Provenance and the location where the seed was
collected.
27. The Forestry Commission carries out random
inspections of seed collections and nurseries to ensure
that the statutory requirements of the Forest
Reproductive Material Regulations are complied with.
Material collected and grown under the voluntary
identification system will be subject to similar checks.
Any abuse of the system will mean that a Certificate
of Local Provenance will not be issued, or that any
Certificate which has been issued will be withdrawn.
Larg
e an
d m
ediu
m s
ized
tre
esSe
ed z
on
e n
umb
erSo
ils
Spec
ies
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
201
202
203
204
301
302
303
304
305
401
402
403
404
405
406
ab
cd
ef
alde
r, b
lack
Alnu
s gl
utin
osa
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
appl
e, c
rab
Mal
us s
ylve
stris
ssp
sylv
estr
isl
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ash
Frax
inus
exc
elsi
orl
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
aspe
nPo
pulu
s tr
emul
al
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
beec
hFa
gus
sylv
atic
al
ll
ll
ll
ll
birc
h, d
owny
Betu
la p
ubes
cens
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
birc
h, s
ilver
Betu
la p
endu
lal
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
cher
ry, b
irdPr
unus
pad
usl
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
cher
ry, g
ean
Prun
us a
vium
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
l
elm
, wyc
hU
lmus
gla
bra
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
l
horn
beam
Car
pinu
s be
tulu
sl
ll
ll
lime,
sm
all-l
eave
dTi
lia c
orda
tal
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
l
lime,
larg
e-le
aved
Tilia
pla
typh
yllo
sl
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
l
map
le, f
ield
Acer
cam
pest
rel
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
l
oak,
com
mon
Que
rcus
rob
url
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
l
oak,
ses
sile
Que
rcus
pet
raea
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
l
pine
, Sco
tsPi
nus
sylv
estr
isl
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
l
popl
ar, b
lack
Popu
lus
nigr
a va
r.be
tulif
olia
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
popl
ar, g
rey
Popu
lus
cane
scen
sl
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
row
anSo
rbus
auc
upar
ial
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
serv
ice
tree
Sorb
us t
orm
inal
isl
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
l
whi
tebe
amSo
rbus
aria
sen
su la
tol
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
l
will
ow, c
rack
Salix
frag
ilis
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
l
will
ow, g
oat
Salix
cap
rea
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
will
ow, w
hite
Salix
alb
al
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
yew
Taxu
s ba
ccat
al
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
SOIL
S:
a =
wet
sit
es
b =
lig
ht,
dry
so
ils
c =
hea
vy s
oils
d
= a
cid
e
= n
eutr
al o
r al
kalin
e f
= e
xpo
sed
sit
es
Tab
le 1
aN
ativ
e sp
ecie
s ap
pro
pri
ate
to t
he
num
ber
ed z
on
es
6
blac
ktho
rnPr
unus
spi
nosa
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
l
box
Buxu
s se
mpe
rvire
nsl
ll
ll
l
broo
mC
ytis
us s
copa
rius
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
l
buck
thor
n, a
lder
Fran
gula
aln
usl
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
buck
thor
n, p
urgi
ngRh
amnu
s ca
thar
ticus
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
butc
her’
s br
oom
Rusc
us a
cule
atus
ll
ll
ll
ll
dogw
ood
Cor
nus
sang
uine
al
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
elde
rSa
mbu
cus
nigr
al
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
l
gors
eU
lex
euro
paeu
sl
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
l
guel
der
rose
Vibu
rnum
opu
lus
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
l
haw
thor
n, c
omm
onC
rata
egus
mon
ogyn
al
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
haw
thor
n, M
idla
ndC
rata
egus
laev
igat
al
ll
ll
ll
ll
haze
lC
oryl
us a
vella
nal
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
l
holly
Ilex
aqui
foliu
ml
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
juni
per
Juni
peru
s co
mm
unis
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
priv
etLi
gust
rum
vul
gare
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
rose
, dog
Rosa
can
ina
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
rose
, fie
ldRo
sa a
rven
sis
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
spin
dle
Euon
ymus
eur
opae
usl
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
spur
ge la
urel
Dap
hne
laur
eola
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
l
way
farin
g tr
eeVi
burn
um la
ntan
al
ll
ll
ll
ll
l
will
ow, a
lmon
dSa
lix t
riand
ral
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
l
will
ow, b
aySa
lix p
enta
ndra
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
l
will
ow, e
ared
Salix
aur
ital
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
l
will
ow, g
rey
Salix
cin
erea
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
will
ow, o
sier
Salix
vim
inal
isl
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
l
will
ow, p
urpl
eSa
lix p
urpu
rea
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
l
7
Figure 1
Smal
l tre
es a
nd
sh
rub
sSe
ed z
on
e n
umb
erSo
ils
Spec
ies
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
201
202
203
204
301
302
303
304
305
401
402
403
404
405
406
ab
cd
ef
SOIL
S:
a =
wet
sit
es
b =
lig
ht,
dry
so
ils
c =
hea
vy s
oils
d
= a
cid
e
= n
eutr
al o
r al
kalin
e f
= e
xpo
sed
sit
es
Tab
le 1
bN
ativ
e sp
ecie
s ap
pro
pri
ate
to t
he
num
ber
ed z
on
es
Fig
ure
1M
ap o
f lo
cal s
eed
zo
nes
108
109
107
204
106
203
202
201
102
105
103
104
102
10
10
20
101
NEW
CA
STLE
EDIN
BU
RG
H
AB
ERD
EEN
INV
ERN
ESS
GLA
SGO
W
405
406
402
403
302
301
401
30
40
404
305
303
304
LON
DO
N
BIR
MIN
GH
AM
MA
NC
HES
TER
AB
ERY
STW
YTH
Enquiries relating to this publication should be addressed to:
Dr Sam Samuel
Forest Research
Northern Research Station
Roslin
Midlothian
EH25 9SY
Tel: 0131 445 2176
Fax: 0131 445 5124
E-mail: [email protected]
REFERENCES
FORESTRY COMMISSION (1998).
The UK forestry standard.Forestry Commission, Edinburgh.
STATUTORY INSTRUMENT 1977 No 891.
The Forest Reproductive Material Regulations 1977.
HMSO, London.
FORESTRY COMMISSION (1990).
Forest nature conservation guidelinesHMSO, London.
FORESTRY COMMISSION (1994).
The management of semi-natural woodlandsForestry Practice Guides 1–8.
Forestry Commission, Edinburgh.
© CROWN COPYRIGHTISSN 1460-3810ISBN 0-85538-503-0
PPD9/34-IH
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